Recalled Toys Shipped to Grateful African Children
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Any Village, Africa - Africa’s children have something to celebrate this month. In a stunning move of generosity, the Chinese government has shipped millions of recalled toys to Africa’s shores, ringing in the yuletide season early.
Boy holding recalled toy
“With AIDS, malaria and war rampant on the continent, we figured high levels of lead would be the least of their worries,” says Bu Chang Lee. “Also, it’s part of
our bi-lateral trade plans with Africa’s government leaders. They are required to buy a certain number of soft goods from us in return for the infrastructure we provide. When you think about it, America did us a favor with all the recalls.”
Giggling toddlers clutching contaminated Dora the Explorer dolls look on as their older siblings get creative with brand new lead-based paint kits. They are touching to watch. One six year old boy began to show symptoms of being affected by the lead, as he began to convulse violently while riding in a wagon tainted with cherry-red paint.
Local officials brushed aside the incident.
“It’s for the greater good. Look at the smiles on these children’s faces. Would you take that away just because continuous exposure may cause damage to the:
Nervous system
• Encephalopathy [brain disease]
• Acute encephalopathy
• Alters function of developing brain
• Alters electroencephalogram
• Convulsions
• Cerebral Palsy
• Neurotransmitter release disrupted
Peripheral nervous system
• Peripheral nerve disturbances [reduced touch sensitivity]
• Slowed nerve conduction velocity [decreased reaction times]
• Foot/ hand drop
• Proprioreceptive pathways involved in balance altered
• Dizziness
Growth & development
• Delayed neurodevelopment [e.g. in sitting up, walking, talking]
• Stature and growth rate reduction
• Impaired pituitary-thyroid endocrine system
• Osteoporosis in later years
• Weight loss
Cognitive development
• I.Q. levels decrease
• Cognitive function deficits
• Verbal function / linguistic deficits
• Learning difficulties
• Decreased educational performance
• Decreased reading, maths, non-verbal reasoning ability & short term memory, even at blood lead levels less than 10µg/dL
• Autism in genetically predisposed individuals with metallothionein dysfunction
Behaviour
• Aggression, violence, hostility, anti-social or delinquent behaviour
• Attention problems; distractibility, restlessness
• Externalising and internalising behaviours
• Hyperactive behaviours, difficult to manage
• Inappropriate / uncontrolled behaviours similar to ADD behaviours, increased frequency
• Irritability
• Lethargy
• Increased school absenteeism
Hearing
• Hearing impairment; auditory sensitivity decreased
• Auditory evoked response patterns altered
• Auditory processing altered
Sight
• Retinal degeneration
• Depressed sensitivity of rod photoreceptors
• Perceptual function deficits
• Visuo-spatial skills deficit [eg jigsaws]
Movement and muscular
• Visual-motor skills deficits [hand-eye coordination]
• Fine motor dysfunction
• Motor function deficits
• Impaired muscular strength and endurance
• Paralysis
• Somatic complaints [aches and pains]
Digestive system
• Impaired Vitamin D metabolism [affecting bone remodelling, mineral absorption and calcium uptake]
• Colic
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Constipation, diarrhoea, anorexia
• Abdominal cramps
Renal (kidneys), blood and circulation
• Renal disease – acute nephropathy
• Queensland nephritis
• Anaemia
Death?
You shouldn’t do that. I can’t do that…it’s just cruel and unconscionable.”
